Cats going for third straight win over Cards

Kentucky's Kyrus Lanxter (81) tries unsuccessfully to pull in a one-handed pass reception in front of Louisville's Johnny Patrick during the first half of their football game in Louisville, Ky., Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)

Kentucky linebacker Micah Johnsonremembers all the raised eyebrows he drew when he opted to signwith the Wildcats rather than Louisville four years ago. Kentucky was struggling under Rich Brooks. The Cardinals were aperennial bowl team and burgeoning Big East power under BobbyPetrino. Johnson, however, bought into the rebuilding plan Brooks wasselling. And while he isn't one to say "I told you so," he isrelishing how swiftly the balance of power in the Bluegrass haschanged over the last three years. When the two archrivals meet on Saturday in the Governor's Cup,the Wildcats (1-0) have a chance to do something that hasn't beenaccomplished since the series was renewed in 1994: win threestraight over the hated Cardinals (1-0). "The last two years we were able to get them and I think thatwould be pretty big for me and the guys that came here (when wewere down) to win another game," Johnson said. For the first time in a decade, the Wildcats will be prohibitivefavorites. They were dominant in a season-opening 42-0 win overMiami of Ohio, while the Cardinals struggled to get past woefulIndiana State. Not that the Wildcats are embracing their role of bully. They remain wary of the Cardinals, even if Louisville hasn'tbeen the same since Kentucky won 40-34 at Commonwealth Stadium twoyears ago. The Cardinals are just 10-12 since Kentucky's AndreWoodson hit Steve Johnson on a 57-yard touchdown pass with 28seconds remaining to pull off the upset. "I have a feeling (Louisville) will be back," said defensivetackle Ricky Lumpkin. "They'll be back in swing of things. Youcan't let them (bust) out. Maybe this could be the game, this couldbe the year. You never know. The season is brand new. It's going tobe an exciting game for them and for us. Rivalry games tell you alot about what a team is going to do that year." It certainly did in 2007. Louisville, fresh off an Orange Bowl victory, came toCommonwealth Stadium ranked in the Top 10 under new head coachSteve Kragthorpe. The Wildcats, meanwhile, were looking for respectafter losing seven of eight to their rivals. Kentucky found it when Louisville wide receiver Harry Douglaswas tackled a few yards short of the end zone on a last-second HailMary, setting off a jubilant scene that ended with fans stormingthe field and sent the two programs heading in opposite directions. "It was a real big game because you saw what happened,"Lumpkin said. "Our program is still going up and right now itlooks like theirs is going down." While the players point to the win in 2007 as a tipping point inthe balance of power within the state, Brooks is hardly ready toplay "remember when." "Two years ago seems like it was 20 years ago to me, rathertalk about games coming up," he said. "To me it has no bearing onthis game." Instead, he said the Wildcats will have to play better than theydid in a season-opening 42-0 win against Miami of Ohio. Still,after starting 0-4 against the Cardinals, he admits things are muchquieter for him when he goes out now that the Wildcats have won twostraight. "You hear it on the talk radio, you see it on the messageboards, you see it everywhere and you see it when you're out inpublic," he said. "You get constantly reminded of that side ofequation you're on."

Tuesday's Wildcat LinksBASKETBALLkentuckysports.com: Harrison twins are clutch playersukathletics.com: Cauley-Stein named 25th consensus All-AmericanNation of Blue: Calipari talks about Final Four with Shannon SpakeUSA Today: sports psychologist helps Calipari learn about his playersSI.com: UK is heavy favorite but not a lock to win it allSportingNews: Calipari not the villain in postgame comments about NDSI.com: storylines for UK-Wisconsin rematchNextCats: Ingram has in-home visit set with CalipariNextCats...

Monday's Wildcat LinksBASKETBALLESPN/Ian O'Connor: Cats pass last major hurdleUSA Today: UK-Notre Dame was sports perfectionNBCSports: UK-Wisconsin is the rematch we deserved to seeFt. Wayne News-Sentinel: UK is what is right about college basketballZagsblog: Draft Express moves Towns to #1Nation of Blue: UK-Notre Dame set a TV ratings recordUK Basketball Live: watch a replay of UK-ND w/ UK Radio Network callsNextCats: Brown, Zimmerman, Newman in no hurry to make decisionsphoto courtesy Victoria Graff

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